Step Types Quick Reference

This reference covers all workflow step types available in the FMX Workflow Builder. Use it to understand what each step does, when to use it, and what settings are available.

Quick Reference Table

Step Type	Kind	What It Does	Platform
Selection Screen	Feature	Displays a menu with clickable areas for branching	All
Take Photo	Feature	Triggers the camera to capture a photo	All
Live View	Feature	Starts or stops the live camera preview	All
Preview	Feature	Shows captured media with retake/accept options	All
Disclaimer	Feature	Displays terms/consent screen	All
Print Copies	Feature	Sends photos to the printer	All
Save Final Photo	Feature	Renders and saves the final composited photo	All
Record Video	Feature	Starts or stops video recording	All
Video from Photos	Feature	Creates animated GIF or MP4 from photos	All
Screen Recording	Feature	Records the screen output	Windows only
Screen Capture	Feature	Takes a screenshot of the display	Windows only
Sign & Draw	Feature	Touch canvas for drawing or signing	All
Games	Feature	Interactive games (Tic Tac Toe, Shell Game)	All
Access Code	Feature	Requires a code to proceed	All
Scan	Feature	Waits for barcode/QR scan input	Windows only
External Script	Feature	Launches an external program	Windows only
LED Ring	Feature	Controls the LED ring via serial	Windows only
iPad LED Light	Feature	Screen flash for fill lighting	iPad only
Draw Me Offline	Feature	Offline drawing canvas	All
V180	Feature	180-degree video booth mode	Windows only

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Feature Steps -- Detailed Reference

Selection Screen

What it does: Displays a full-screen menu with multiple clickable areas. Each area can route the guest to a different branch of the workflow.

When to use it: Use at the start of multi-experience booths where guests choose between different photo styles, backgrounds, AI effects, or activities.

Key settings:

• Type -- Preset or custom layout
• Background Media -- Image or video displayed behind the clickable areas, with fit options (fit, crop, fill)
• Aspect Ratio -- Optional aspect ratio hint for layout (e.g., 9:16)
• Skip Random -- When enabled, it bypasses the selection UI and randomly picks an area
• Next Button -- Shows a Next button for advancing without selecting
• Areas -- Define clickable regions, each linked to a specific workflow branch

Branching: Each area connects to a different edge, allowing guests to select different experiences from a single screen.

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Take Photo

What it does: Triggers the connected camera to capture a photo. On Windows, this sends a capture command to the DSLR or grabs a frame from the webcam. On iPad, it triggers the built-in camera.

When to use it: Place this step after a Live View Start step and any countdown animation.

Key settings: Take Photo is a simple trigger step with no additional configuration. The camera settings (ISO, aperture, shutter speed) are determined by the camera's current settings or the overrides configured in Global Settings.

Common triggers on incoming edge: Time (after a countdown), Touch (guest taps to capture), Volume Changed (iPad, guest presses volume button), Space Bar (Windows, operator triggers).

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Live View

What it does: Controls the live camera preview display. In Start mode, it activates the camera's viewfinder and shows the feed on screen. In Stop mode, it turns off the preview.

When to use it: Add a Live View Start step before Take Photo so guests can see themselves. Add a Live View Stop step after capture to release camera resources.

Key settings:

• Mode -- Start or Stop
• Background Mode -- Normal (no processing), Green Screen (chroma key green removal), Blue Screen (chroma key blue removal)

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Preview

What it does: Displays captured photos or videos to the guest, typically with options to accept or retake.

When to use it: Place after the capture and processing steps to let guests review their photo before sharing or printing.

Key settings:

• Show Preview -- Toggle preview display
• Additional display customization through theme assets configured in Global Settings

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Disclaimer

What it does: Shows a terms, consent, or legal disclaimer screen that the guest must accept or decline before proceeding.

When to use it: Use at the beginning of the experience if you need guests to agree to terms of service, photo usage rights, or data collection policies.

Key settings:

• Content text and formatting
• Agree/Disagree button text

Branching: The agreed action follows the normal edge. The disagree action can optionally route to a different step (e.g., back to the welcome screen or an exit message).

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Print Copies

What it does: Sends the final photo to the printer. Can either print automatically (Direct mode) or display a screen where guests choose how many copies they want.

When to use it: Near the end of the workflow, after Save Final Photo has rendered the final image.

Key settings:

• Mode -- Direct (auto-print) or Show Copy Selection (guest chooses)
• Min copies -- Minimum number of copies (0-10)
• Max copies -- Maximum number of copies (1-10)
• Allow User Selection -- Let guests pick their copy count
• Show Skip Button -- Add a skip option
• Skip Step ID / Zero Copies Step ID -- Route guests who skip to a different step
• Print Quality -- Draft, Normal, or High
• Paper Size -- Photo 4x6, Photo 5x7, Photo 8x10, A4, or Letter
• Show Preview -- Display a print preview
• Media to Print -- Which media type to print (typically Final Photo)

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Save Final Photo

What it does: Renders the final composited photo by combining the captured image with the print layout (overlays, borders, backgrounds) and saves it to disk. This is a critical step that produces the file used for sharing and printing.

When to use it: Place after all capture and AI processing steps, before any sharing or printing steps.

Key settings: Save Final Photo is a marker step with no additional configuration. It uses the layout defined in your experience design on Foto Master Cloud.

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Record Video

What it does: Starts or stops video recording from the connected camera.

When to use it: Use Start mode before the recording segment and Stop mode after. The recorded video is saved locally.

Key settings:

• Mode -- Start or Stop
• Max Duration -- Maximum recording length (1-300 seconds)
• Quality -- SD (480p), HD (720p), Full HD (1080p), or UHD 4K
• Show Countdown -- Display a countdown before recording begins
• Countdown Duration -- Length of countdown (1-10 seconds)
• Record Audio -- Enable/disable audio recording from the selected microphone

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Video from Photos

What it does: Creates an animated GIF or MP4 video from the most recent captured photos, cycling through them in sequence.

When to use it: After capturing multiple photos (e.g., 3-4 photo burst), add this step to create a fun animated output.

Key settings:

• File Type -- GIF or MP4
• Frame Rate -- Frames per second per photo (1-30, recommended 2-3)
• Photo Count -- Number of photos to include (2-50)
• Loop -- Whether the GIF loops infinitely
• Quality -- Output quality (1-100)
• Playback Speed -- Speed percentage (50-150%, default 100%)
• Video Loops -- For MP4, how many times to repeat the sequence (1-20)
• Max Width / Height -- Maximum output dimensions in pixels
• Overlay Enabled -- Add a branding overlay
• Overlay Filename -- Path to the overlay image
• Edge Hold Seconds -- Hold duration at the start/end for smoother looping (0-10)

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Screen Recording

What it does: Records the screen output as a video file. Can capture the full screen or a custom rectangular region.

When to use it: Use to capture the entire booth experience as a video (e.g., for 360 booths or video-based experiences where the screen output is the final product).

Key settings:

• Mode -- Start or Stop
• Capture Mode -- Full Screen or Custom region
• X, Y, Width, Height -- Custom capture region coordinates (when using Custom mode)
• FPS -- Target frame rate

Platform: Windows only.

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Screen Capture

What it does: Takes a single screenshot of the booth display at the moment this step executes.

When to use it: Use to capture a snapshot of the current screen state as part of the booth output.

Key settings:

• Mode -- Full Screen or Custom region
• X, Y, Width, Height -- Custom capture region coordinates

Platform: Windows only.

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Sign & Draw

What it does: Provides a touch canvas where guests can draw, write, or sign with their finger or stylus. The drawing is saved as an image.

When to use it: Use for guestbook-style experiences, signature collection, or creative drawing activities.

Key settings:

• Drawing mode and canvas configuration
• Stamp assets (configurable through Global Settings theme)

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Games

What it does: Displays an interactive game that guests can play on the touchscreen.

When to use it: Use to add an entertainment element to the booth experience, especially for events with children or when guests are waiting.

Available games:

• Tic Tac Toe -- Classic game with customizable X and O images (configurable in Global Settings theme)
• 3 Shell Game -- Guess which shell hides the ball

Key settings:

• Game Type -- Select which game to display

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Access Code

What it does: Displays a code entry screen. Guests must enter a valid access code to proceed. Useful for gating the booth experience behind a password or coupon code.

When to use it: At the start of the experience to restrict access, or before a special feature that requires a code.

Key settings:

• Codes -- List of valid access codes
• Reuse Code -- Whether the same code can be used multiple times
• Star Input -- Mask input characters with asterisks for privacy

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Scan

What it does: Waits for input from a barcode scanner or QR code reader connected to the booth.

When to use it: When guests need to scan a ticket, badge, or QR code to start or personalize their experience.

Key settings: The Scan step is a simple trigger step. It waits for scanner input and advances when a scan is detected.

Platform: Windows only (requires serial/USB barcode scanner).

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External Script

What it does: Launches an external program or script on the booth computer.

When to use it: For advanced integrations -- triggering external hardware, custom software, or automation scripts.

Key settings:

• Script Path -- Absolute path to the executable or script (e.g., C:\scripts\my-script.exe)
• Run In Background -- If true, FMX launches the process minimized and immediately regains focus. If false, the external program opens in front of the booth.

Platform: Windows only.

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LED Ring

What it does: Sends commands to an LED ring connected via serial port to change colors, brightness, or patterns.

When to use it: For lighting effects synchronized with the booth experience (e.g., countdown colors, capture flash, idle animations).

Key settings: LED ring configuration, including color, pattern, and serial port settings.

Platform: Windows only.

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Cloud Steps -- Detailed Reference

AI Steps

All AI steps send the captured photo to Foto Master Cloud for processing. They share a common pattern:

1. The step sends the image to the cloud API.
2. FMX shows a loading/processing animation (typically a Preloader animation step placed before the AI step).
3. When processing completes, the AI Processed trigger fires and the workflow advances.

AI Step	What It Does
AI Background Removal	Removes the photo background, leaving only the subject
AI Cartoon	Transforms the photo into various cartoon/illustration styles
AI Draw Me	Creates artistic AI renderings of the photo. Six models: Monet, Donatello, Raphael, da Vinci, Picasso, Michelangelo
AI Face Cutout	Extracts and isolates faces from the photo
AI Face Swap	Swaps a guest's face onto a template image
AI Face Switch	Switches faces between people within a group photo
AI Headshot	Generates professional headshot variations with different backgrounds/styles
AI Line 2 Life	Converts hand-drawn sketches into realistic images
AI Oldify	Ages or de-ages faces in the photo
AI Palm Reading	Generates a palm reading from a photo of the guest's hand
AI Style Pop	Applies artistic style transfer effects
AI Sharpener	Enhances photo sharpness and detail
AI Modify	Custom AI image modifications using a text prompt. Choose from 8 models (Nano Banana, GPT-Image, Grok Imagine families)
AI Combine	Combines a guest photo with a text prompt and optional reference images. Same 8-model lineup as AI Modify
AI Image to Video	Generates a short video from a still image

Sharing Steps

Step	What It Does	Key Settings
Email	Sends the photo to the guest via email	Subject, body text, provider (Cloud or Custom)
SMS	Sends the photo via text message	Message text, country code selector, provider
QR Code	Displays a QR code linking to the online gallery	Error correction level, display size
Survey	Collects guest feedback	Question types (rating, Likert scale, open-ended), keyboard language

How to Chain Steps Together

Steps are connected through edges in the Workflow Builder. Each edge has a trigger that determines when the transition occurs.

Linear Flow

The simplest pattern: each step connects to the next in sequence.

Step A --[Time: 3s]--> Step B --[Touch]--> Step C --[Media Saved]--> Step D

Branching Flow

A step can have multiple outgoing edges, each going to a different target:

Selection Screen --[Touch: Area 1]--> Branch A (e.g., Photo Mode)
                 --[Touch: Area 2]--> Branch B (e.g., Video Mode)
                 --[Touch: Area 3]--> Branch C (e.g., AI Mode)

Converging Flow

Multiple branches can merge back to a single step:

Branch A (Photo) --> Save Final Photo --> Share Screen
Branch B (Video) --> Save Final Photo --> Share Screen

Looping Flow

Connect the last step back to the first to create a continuous loop:

... --> Print Copies --[Time: 5s]--> Welcome Screen (start over)

Branching and Conditional Logic

Several step types support conditional branching:

• Selection Screen -- Each clickable area routes to a different branch
• Disclaimer -- Agree vs. disagree routes to different steps
• Access Code -- Valid code proceeds; invalid code can route elsewhere
• Print Copies -- Skip/zero copies can route to a different step via the Skip Step ID or Zero Copies Step ID setting
• Preview -- Accept vs. retake can route differently
• Email/SMS -- The skip option can bypass sharing

To create conditional logic:

1. Select the source step in the Workflow Builder.
2. Add multiple outgoing edges.
3. Set each edge's trigger and target step.
4. The Workflow Builder ensures all paths are valid and connected.

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See also: Workflow Builder Overview, Printing from FMX, Camera Setup, Payment Tab